10 Free Software Programs I Put On My Mac

January 1, 2010 | In: Freeware, Software

My treat this year is my new MacBook Pro that I got on Tuesday. it’s funny, it feels like I’ve had the computer longer while Christmas seems like it was weeks ago! Anyway, buying my MacBook has made me computer poor and while there is plenty of software I would like to buy and probably will in time, I needed to find some free software to replace the common software I have on my Windows machines like Microsoft Office, Dreamweaver and Photoshop.

In my quest for free software I came across some gems and also programs that I currently have on my Windows computers that I sync with my MacBook. So, this is what is installed on my MacBook.

Open Office – This is a great alternative to Microsoft Office and allows me to edit and create documents, spreadsheets, databases, graphics and presentations that are compatible with a variety of different programs including Microsoft Office.

Gimp – A graphics and photo manipulation program that rivals both Photoshop and Aperture.

Nvu – A web authoring alternative to Dreamweaver which is supposed to be easier to use. Truthfully, once I have the money I will be getting Dreamweaver but this is a great replacement for the time being if I need to do any quick website editing or creating.

Adium – This is a pretty full featured instant messaging application for the Mac. I use Trillian on Windows but really like Adium. It works with all the chat clients out there like AIM, Google, MSN, Yahoo, Facebook, MySpace and more.

Skitch – Nice screen capturing software with editing capabilities that also allows you to store and share images online.

Tweetie – A nice Twitter client. The free version inserts ads from time to time but that’s no big deal — hey, sometimes the ads have something I am interested in! I’ve been using Tweetie 2 on my iPhone so it just made sense for me to use Tweetie on my MacBook.

Evernote – A cross-platform note taking, saving application. Capture webpages, images, videos, audio or create note from scratch and sync them online, to different computer platforms and smartphones. I’ve been using Evernote for over a year now on my Windows machines and the last few months on my iPhone. It’s nice that I am able to use it on my MacBook and everything syncs wonderfully between machines and I can go online anywhere and see my notes. Recently I won a content with GearDiary so I now have the premium version which means I can add even more notes each month since the free version is limited to 40mb bandwidth a month and only certain file types. I will say that the free version was just fine for me but am happy to have the premium version for a year.

VLC – A multimedia player that is lean and clean and plays most every type of file.

Firefox – An alternative to using Safari. I am used to Firefox since I use it on my Windows computers so it was only natural that I download it onto my MacBook and add in the plugins that are essential to my optimal browsing experience.

Skype – I use Skype as a video chat client to communicate with a few friends and family.